Method of and apparatus for drawing glass



VLNJD UF Alm; PFAHUS FR DRWIN GLASS.

WPUCAUON min im. wwf

1,425,746. Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

WITNESSES INVENTOR C. P. BYRNES.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING GLASS. APPLICATION HLED 1AN.28. 1918.

1,425,746. Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHET 2. FFI? 2.

to 3l 4n .F 'Y n WITNESSES INVENTOH www mm! ffl/sym C. P. BYRNES.

METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING GLASS.

APPLICATION min 1AN.28,1918.

1 ,425,746. Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3* CLARENCE P. BYRNES. OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD 0F AN D APPARATUS FOB DRAWING GLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

Application Med January 28, 1918. Serial No. 214,065.

To all whom it may cmwem:

Be it known that I, CLARENGE P. BYnNEs, a resident of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of and Apparatus for Drawing Glass, of which the fo lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification., in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional side elevation showing one form o f apparatus for carrying out my invention;

F1 re 2 is a general lan view of the drawing apparatus showing the gearing, chains, etc.;

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation partly broken away of one of the deforming lifters;

Figure 4 is a partial front elevation showing a pair of the chains with one of the deforming lifters;

Figure 5 is a detail view of a guide for the lifter' Y Figure 6 is a diagrammatic sectional side elevation showing the crack-off apparatus and lifter and carrier for the cracked-off secf tions; and

Figure 7 is a partial sectional side elevation showing one means for starting the draw.

My invention relates to the drawing of glass cylinders from a bath of molten glass, and particularly to the drawing of a continuous cylinder, the u per portions of which are successively cut o and removed during the drawing operation.

Heretofore, the continuous drawing of cylinders has roven impracticable partly because the rol er grippers designed to enga e and lift the cy inder did not posses sufcient friction to lift it properly. If made of wood or similar material,`they char, and if made of metal or similar material, they crack and break the cylinder. .l

My invention overcomes this dliculty providing traveling litters which movewit the cylinder and are preferably arranged to engage portions of it which are deformed in` the lastic zone either by the liftersor by special additional deforming devices.

In the lower part or plastic zone of a ris ing cylinder within a zone .near the glass bath, the glassfmaybe indented, perforated or deformed local y; and by engaging such deformed portions, I provide the level ofv for lifting a continuous cylinder. The deformed portions are preferably localized around the circumference of the cylinder and are preferably spaced apart a suitable distance to provide ordinary roller lengths between t em, the sections vbeing preferably c ut olf at or adjacent to its deformed portions. The deforming means is referably drlven into the glass with consi erable 'rapidlty to make a local teat without bending the adjacent wall inwardly, which occurs if the pressure is applied slowly; although some bending in around the deformed ortlon will be straightened out by the pu of the ortions of the cylinder above as it rises.

T e invention also relates to the continuous drawing of a cylinder from a forehearth portion of a tank furnace; to properly supplying the distending air and holdlng the desired pressure within the plastic zone; to improved traveling crack-off apparatus; and to the engaging and carrying away of the upper cut sections. It also relates to a shield which may preferably be used to protect the machinery and to other parts and combinations more fully hereini after described and claimed.

In the drawings, 2 represents a tank furnace having a. forehearth portion 3, the door 4 of which is preferably above the level of the glass in the tank, although this may bel varied; and if a series of forehearths are used along the side or end of the tank, the bottoms of the forehearths may be varied in height to suit the conditions. 5 is a pier which supports a ortion of the topstone 6 and the shade or s ield 7. A refractory nozzle 8 projects u through4 the forehearth to a oint above tlie level of the glass therein an is supplied with air from a suitable supply pipe 9. Through the su ply pipe projects a vertically movable tu or rod 10, carrrying at its upper end a refractory disk baille 11, which is of circular shape and which may be adjusted vertically to an desired position. This baille is desi ed to hold the air pressure within the p tic zone and to give the proper distend mgaction in the cylinder. i he numeral 12 des' ates a floatingrefractory ring surroun ing the air sup ly nozzle'and s aced a art from it, this ring Ibeing prefere ly Ahel in position by a waterchillin ring 13, supported by any suitable suspen ing means and preferably vertically in. the plastic zone guides adjustable. Water is circulated through this ring during the drawing operation. 14

represents a burner which may be used to keep the outer portion of the glass in the forehearth at or near the temperature of that portion of the bath close to the body of glass in the tank, the forehearth being pref erably arranged to keep the glass of substantially the same temperature in the various portions thereof around the draw. The continuous glass cylinder 15 is drawn up from the bath around the baii'le through the water-cooling ring. After the cylinder has been drawn up a certain distance by a circular bait, which may be raised vertically in any desired manner, the cylinder is engaged by a set of'deforming lifters 16, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 3. As herein shown, it consists of a swinging hanger provided with a rear cam projection 17, and with a forwardly projecting deformer 18. This deformer may `be formed of copper or any desirable metal or alloy, and is preferably hollow, and may be provided with an asbestos covering 19 in its engaging portion.

he set of deforming lifters is preferably spaced equidistant around the cylinder, there being four of these lifters in the form shown, each lifter being pivoted oii a cross bar 20 extending between the two sprocket chains 21. There is a series of the sets of lifters mounted on the pairs of chains, the sets being spaced apart any desirable distance, preferably a distance equal to the length of the -sections desired, or substantially so. y The chains are shown as bein carried over sprocket wheels 22, 23 an 24, the wheels 22 being placed vertically over the wheels 24. 'The set of s rocket wheels for each line of lifters is pre erably mounted on a framework indicated at 25, hung on ovcrhead wheels 26 and 27, mounted in horizontal channels or guides underneath the door 28 of the up er or crack-off and removing station. Eac set of chains may be adjusted Back and forth by set screws 29, and the chains may be driven through the shafts 30, of the sprocket wheels 23, these shafts connecting at their ends through bevel gears 31. 32 represents an electric motor having a worm gear connection 33, with one of the shafts 30.

To'force the deforming lifters into thewall of the cylinder, I preferably provide vertically extending cam uides or tracks 34, having rearwardly curved upper and lower end portions, ad'ustable toward and from the cylinder, as in icated at 35. ,'36 and 37 represent guides for the Ahangers to control their movement, as they pass down toward the cylinder, these being preferably slotted, as shown at 38 in Figure 5, to allow passageof the deforming projections,

these guides being preferably' As the deforming lifters leave the lower jection 17 will be engaged by the cam tracks, and as these projections are near the pivot points, the deformers will be rapidly forced forward into the cylinder in the plas-l tic zone, forming the inwardly projecting teats. As the lower set of lifters moves up at the speed of and with the cylinder, the cylinder is being lifted by the upper sets of lifters which are enga Zing the set and colder portions of the cylin er.

I have shown four sets of deforming lifters engaging the cylinder, before it reaches the floor of the upper station, and as the upper lifters reach the sprocketwheels 23, they are released b the cam ,guides and swing back out of tli'e deforming portion of the cylinder, there always being atleast two sets to perform the lifting operation by engaging the upper side portions of the cylinder after the plastic zone is assed.

As the cylinder rises the floor 28, it is cracked off in sections, preferably at oradjacent to the deformed portions, preferably b a heated electric wire which is now well nown in this art. The Electric Wire loop preferably extends beween side holders 39 and 40, which are arranged to slide vertically on guides 41, the loop or circle remaining normally opened. Handles 42 are provided for clam ing the electric wire around the glass cylinffr, preferably just above a set of indentations or deformations, as shown in Fi ure 6. This is done while this ortion of t e cylinder is near the Hoor. l hen the operator thus clamps the wire around the cylinder, the electric current is turned on to heat the wire, which rises with the c linder, thus givin a traveling crack-ofl'. 3The operator a ter heating thel circumference of the cylinder preferably applies a cold iron or otherwise linishest e crack-oil' operation and releases the, handles 42, whereupon the crack-oli' apparatus drops down to its original position ready for t e next section. I also preferably utilize the deformed portions of the cylinder for engaging the cylinder sections to remove them after cracking ofi.

Thus, in Figure 6, I show a glass-sectionengaging device com rising a central portion 43, provided with radially swinging arms 44, .which may be widened at their en ds or provided with arc-shaped sections, this device bein supported from a flexible cable 45, exten ing over the guide wheels 46 and 47 of a trolley 48 and down to a through the hole in eounterweight 49. The cable is preferably i the arms are extended under the teats and the counterweight then allowed to act, this giving an upward tensionon the upper uncut sections. The crack-off device is then operated at the proper time to cut the lower end of this section, whereu on the weight will lift the section away fiom the rising cylinder, and the trolley may then move olf on its track 52 and the section lowered and laid on a horse for cracking oil' the indent inmortion and splitting lengthwise.

ile the original bait used for starting the continuous cylinder may be lowered into the bath and raised by separate mechanism of any desirable form, I may employ the mechanism shown for this operation. This may be done by providing a metal bait 53, shown in Fi re 7, having an up r rim ortion whic may be raised on t e pro- ]ectin deformers on the lifters. By cli ping ack a series of litters in place, t e movement of the chains may be reversed, and the bait, which has been applied at an upper point, can be lowered down until its lower edge portion is in the bath, as shown in Figure 7. The chains ma then start in their normal movement to li the bait, and the lifters then unclipped and unfastened and allowed to go through their normal operation.

The s eed of the chains may, of course, be varied b suitable control of the electric motor or dyiive, and in the starting of a draw will preferably be gradually increased until an equilibrium is established between the speed of draw and the action of the heating and cooling of the bath to give a cylinder of substantially uniform thickness. After this equilibrium is established, the chains may be driven at a uniform speed, giving a cylinder of uniform thickness t ereafter, so long as the heating and cool- 1n conditions are maintained substantially uniform.

The refractory floating ring and the water chill may be shifted sidewise as desired, and when shifted, the deformers ma indent or deform more on one side than the other, so long as they properly deform the glass so as to engage and lift it.

In Figure 2, I have shown a c lindrical shield 54, provided with vertica slots` to allow passage5 of the deformers, this shield preferably ing made of sheet material, such as asbestos, sheet steel, etc. It may extend for any desired portion of the length of the draw, and will act to protect the chain mechanism from the heat. It may be used or not as desired.

The advantages of my invention result mainl from the new principle of lifting the cylin er by traveling grippers which engage it,preferably by enacting with the de formed portions thereof.'.An efficient and reliable means is thus provided for lifting Ymay be varied, the deformers may be the cylinder and the s eed of draw maybe maintained or'change as desired, owing to the positive engagement of the grippers with the cylinder. The deforming also aids in providlng for engagement and removal of the upper sections as cracked olf, and there is little loss of marketable glass as the indented portions are localized and may be at the points of cracking off or severing the lengths. For this reason, the crack-off is preferably just above the set of indentations. The tension applied to the upper section before severing insuresquick removal from the upwardly moving cylinder and avoids breakage. The supply of air up 80 through the nozzle in the bath along wit the baille provides for the distension of the Vc linder, without interfering with the continuous draw. The traveling crack-oil device allows the continuous movement of the cylinder, which is important, as sto page will interfere with the operation and c ange the thickness of the glass.

The stem of the baffle may be wateroooled if desired, although the iow of air aroun it will usually cool it sufficiently. The deformations may be made by mecha-` nism separate from t e chains and actin in place of the grip ers on the chains, whic latter will engage t e indentations made by the separate indentation-forming mechanism.

The mechanism for moving the deformfrs lrectly attached to the chains, other means 100 may be used for driving the deformers into the glass in the plastic zone, and many other changes may be made without departing from my invention.

I claim:

' 1. In the drawing of hollow glass articles, the steps consisting of continuously drawing a hollow glass article upwardly from a molten glass bath, locally deforming portions of the cylinder durin the 11n drawing operation, and lifting the cy inder by engagement with said deformed portions durin the continuous draw.

2. Ign the drawing of hollow glass articles, the steps consisting ofpcontinuously 115 drawing a hollow glass article upwardly from a bath of molten glass, deforming longitudinally separated ortions of the cylinder` and lifting the cy inder by engaging said portions during the 'continuous 120 draw.

3. In the method of drawing a glass cylinder the steps consistingl of deforrning e cylinder at separated parts around its circumference and enga ing the deformed por- 125 tions to lift the cylin er.

4. In the method of drawing a continuous glass cylinder, the steps consisting of devformin a cylinder at spaced apart rtions of its length while the cylinder 1s being 130 glass drawn and severing and removing an upper length while continuously drawing a lower length of.the cylinder.

5. In the continuous drawing of glass cylinders, the steps consisting of deforming the cylinder at spaced apart rtions of its len h while the cylinder is being drawn an severing and removing an upper length while continuously drawing a lower length and forming the deformations thereof.

6. In the drawing of hollow glass articles from a tank or forehearth, the. steps consisting in feeding air upwardly through the bath, bathing the air to retain distendin pressure for the hollow glass body while alowing baffled air to pass upwardly. throu h the hollow body, and drawing the ody upwardly from within a floating ring by engaging its sides to continuously lift it. f

7. In the drawing of glass cylinders from a forehearth or tank, the steps consisting of feedin air upwardly through the bath, bailing t e air to retain the distending pressure within the cylinder, while allowing the baiiled air to pass upwardly through the cylinder, drawing the cylinder upwardly from Within a floating ring and throu h a chilling device, and engaging the side o the cylinder to lift and draw it.

8. In the drawing of hollow glass articles,

the steps consisti of continuously drawing a cylinder, deorming portions thereof while it is being drawn, Vand crackin oli' and removing u per sections thereof on Iines at or near the e-formed portions.

9. In the drawing of a continuous cylin der, the steps consistin of deformingportions of the cylinder w ile it is moving 4upwardl liftin the cylinder by engaging said eforme portions, and successively severing the upper sections of the traveling cylinder while continuing the drawing and deforming of lower sections.

10. In the' drawing of a continuous cylinder, the steps consisting of deformin portions of the cylinder, lifting the cy inder by engaging said deformed portions, successively severing the upper sections of the traveling cylinder and engaging the deformed portions to remove the severed sections while continuing the drawing and deforming of lower sections.

11. In the drawing of a continuous cylinder, the steps consisting of lowering a bait into a bath of molten lass, drawing the cylinder upwardly, deorming separated portions of the cylinder, and thereafter continuously lifting the c linder thereby while continuously drawing ower portions and deforming them.

12. In the drawing of cylinders from a forehearth or tank, the steps consisting of feeding air upwardly-`through thev bath,

baiiling the air to retain a distendin pressure within the cylinder, while `al owing upward passage of air beyond the bailling point and drawing the c linder upwardly viilitlliin a floating ring andY through a water c i 13. In the drawing of continuous glass cylinders, the steps consisting of deforming the cylinder at separated portions of its length and severing sections of the cylinder at or near the deformed portions while continuously drawing lower sections of the cylinder and deforrning them.V

14. In apparatus for continuously drawing glass cylinders, continuously acting drawing mechanism havin 4means for deforming the cylinder and ifting the cylinder by engaging the deformed portions during the continuous drawing operation.

15. In apparatus for continuously drawing glass cylinders, endless carriers having means for deforming separated portions of the cylinder and lifting the cylinder by engaging said deformed portions to continuously lift the same.

16. In apparatus for continuously drawing hollow glam bodies upwardly from a' molten glass bath, traveling means for indenting and gripping the hollow glass body in separated portions to continuously move it upwardly.

17. In apparatus for drawing glass cylinders, continuously traveling mechanism and means for indenting a cylinder at different parts of itslength and continuously lifting it by the indented portions during the continuous draw.

18. In apparatus for drawing lass cylinders, a series of endless carriers aving deforming grippers arran d to deform the wall of the cylinder and ift it upwardl 19. In apparatus for continuously rawing glass cylinders, automatic means for deforming the plastic glass within the plastic zone and for gripping the deformed portions to lift the cylinder continuously upwardly and connections for actuating said automatic means.

20. In ap aratus for drawing a continuous glass cy inder, traveling means arranged to give a continuous draw said means having mechanism for automatically deforining the cylinder at separated parts of its length during the continuous drawing thereof.

21. In apparatus for drawing hollow glass bodies, de-forining means, and connections ,for moving the de -forming means to cause the cylinder to move upwardly as it is de-formed. l

22. In apparatus for drawin holldw glass bodies upwardly from a bai of molten glass,fdeforming means, and an uppersec tion-removing device arranged toY engage the deformed portions, the latter device having connections arranged to lift the severed section from the upwardly moving hollow glass body.

23. In apparatus for drawing a continuous cylinder, means for indenting and grippring the cylinder and moving it upwardly, and a shield arranged to roteet said means.

24. In apparatus for raWing a continuous glass cylinder, a set of traveling mecha nisms having means for indenting and gripping the ey lnder and continuously moving ity upwardlyn 25. In ap aratus for drawing a continuous glass eyiinder, a set of traveling mechanisms having means for indenting and gripping the cylinder and continuously moving 1t upwardly, at least one of said mechanisms being adjustable toward and ,from the cylindex.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CLARENCE P. BYRNES. 

